Research studies show that olfactory perception plays an indispensable role in the procurement of foods by fish. The importace of odor in the food-searching behavior of fish has been demonstrated in numerous scholarly observations.
The fishing lure described herein is an artificial fish tackle which has the ability to release minute amounts of scent of natural forages into the water. It incorporates the characteristics and advantages of live-bait and artificial tackle fishing. It is an improvement over live-bait fishing in that almost all types of natural forages can be used as bait-scent regardless of their size. It also holds bait more securely than is possible with a conventional hook. At the same time, it spreads the bait-scent through the surrounding water at a faster rate and through a longer distance than is possible with a baited hook. It is better than conventional artificial fishing tackles in that it resembles natural prey organisms more vividly by possessing their characteristic scents. By combining conventional live bait and artificial tackle fishing techniques into one unit, the lure is able to incorporate two groups of target fishes together and thus improve the resulting angling efficiency.
The prior patent to Duller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,434 discloses a lure including a capsule having holes at one end to permit entry of water to a fish attracting substance. The opposite end of the capsule can be pierced by a hook. The capsule is mounted alongside the normal elongated shank of the hook.
The prior patent to Littlefield, U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,230 shows a flexible lure having a cavity for reception of bait and perforations about the sides of the lure to facilitate release of the bait scent into the water. An elongated shank extends through the lure, but not through the bait cavity.
A general purpose capsule or tube for holding soluble bait in a fishing lure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,969,840 to Charron. The capsule is shown together with various hook combinations. It is closed at both ends, having perforations about its side walls for release of the scent.